Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1887-09-07
Gales aud Sketehes.
Through the Land-Slip.
BY CHARLES BARNARD.
CONTINUED from Yesterday


Gentlemen" said the conductor. 1.-THE
line is blocked both ways. We shall have
to stay here all night, but help will come
in the morning. Every one will be made
as comfortable as possible, and everything
will be done to clear the road as quickly
as consistent with safety"
This seemed to pacify the people, and
most of them went to the cars and made
the best of bad matter. The trackmen
and the train hands gathered in the bag
gage-car and discussed the situation in a
kind of blank despair. The situation was
to them appalling. They knew its whole
meaning Fuel would give out long be-
fore help would come. A path would have
to be cut, for perhaps mile, through the
forest and along the steep mountain side.
through which the passengers must be
taken past the obstruction. Even the con-
ductor seemed to be discouraged. He
came into the car and asked for the bag
gage-man.
1--WE must break open the freight and
see if we can find food for the people.
There are ninety-two men, twenty six
women and children in the cars-to say
nothing of u.s.
Just here Henry Masterson came into
the car. There was a strange teverish
| light in his eyes, and he began to tumble
over the strap in an distracted, nervous
way. as if thinking deeply. Presently he
rose and said "Men, in times of difficulty
at sea the captain has g. right to destroy
the cargo to save the ship. Now we have
on the train plenty of lumber and great
lot of engine hose. saw it put on board
at the last stop. I'm going to dig her
out"
Ihope you have lots OF steam power, "
said the baggage man.
| "Oh! Have power enough. There's mil
| lions of toot-pounds up on the mountain,
and I'm going to fetch it down and blast
our way out"
HIS words were received in respectful
silence. All the men knew enough to see
that Masterson was in terrible earnest.
They also knew enough to listen to any
proposal made by so skilful an engineer.
| He laid his plans before them all, and at
the end, the foreman of the trackmen
said: boys, it can be done. Let's try
| it,
"And don't say word to the passen-
gers" added the conductor.
The train stood near the stone bridge,
| WnpTc IIt CTOSS tdllCy CutCIOd tuC uidiu
valley, and where the branch brook tum-
bled in a series of wild cascades down the
mountain side. Here was power, millions
of foot-pounds going to waste. Could
they use it? The first thing to do was to
have supper, and then they set to work
to compel the brook to open the road.
Lumber there was in plenty; tools and
men were there. Even the weather came
to their aid, for it cleared away, and they
had bright moonlight for the work. The
carload of boards was torn open, and the
whole went to work to carry them up the
rough mountain side. By midnight the
work was we'll started. At point on the
brook, about hundred and seventy feet
above the road. little dam was built, and
part of the brook diverted into an open
fiume of lumber. No need for especial
pals. An open box of boards was all that
was needed 1t could be laid along the
ground, around the mountain sides
towards the land slips BY four o'clock
| it was finished and the water let into it,
making a second brook rushing down the
mountain just above the edges of the
blockade on the line. 1t required only
little labor to fix the heavy fire engine
hose to the end of the flume. All was
ready. As soon as daylight returned,
the great performance would begin.
Through it all, the tiny star burned
steadily. He could see it now and then
while at work; all must be we'll. He
kept the headlight burning all night as an
answering signal to hers. Just as it
began to grow gray in the east, he stood
by the engine looking at the yellow star,
when suddenly it seemed to twinkle. 1t
flashed up, went out, blazed again. and
oh why had he not thought of it before
She, or some one for her, was signalling
to him. He sprang upon the front of the
engine, and pulling off his coat, covered
the headlight with it; took it off and then
put it back again. The star flashed and
went out in reply.
hat-the-matter P"
w-a-n-d-s-l-i p. W-e-l-lp"
| "Y-e-s."
The passengers began to come sleepily
out of the cars. There was a rumor that
something was going on. There was in
deed just in front of the engine stood
two men, weary with tremendous toll,
stained with mud, and holding between
them the nozzle of fire engine hose. The
hose itself lay limp and fiat, and led off up
the mountain side among the trees. The
nozzle was aimed at the wild tangle of
trees, gravel, and mud that covered the
| TRACK.
| 1t came. The hose shook and quivered
and seemed ready to burst, while from the
nozzle sprang white rod of water. 1t
struck the barrier like stroke of light
ming. Trees shot up into the air, stones
flew as ii from an explosion. White
fountains of water leaped into the air.
Clouds of muddy spray burst from every
side. There was a rivulet of mud. stones.
trees and gravel pouring down the steep
side of the embankment.
With a cheer, the hose was dragged for
ward, and the white rush of water went
deeper into the tange. Henry Masterson
held the hose himself. 1t required skilful
guiding, or the road itself would be
ploughed up and swept away. He soon
learned how to aim his fearful weapon.
Strike below. Send the terrific blast of
water into the land slip below the embank-
ment and then the mass above slipped
and slipped over the road-bed and plunged
into the ravine below. Already the shape
OF the road was visible for fifty feet into
the barrier.
The trackmen saw the chance, and be.
| ,S.,, 80 shoral tho looca capd a,J ~,